Leo got out March 2 and managed to cross Sooke Road and reach Terry Rowsell’s home at Donovan and Freethy 2 km away–“a long way for a kitty,” she noted.

Rowsell said he eventually discovered the meowing he’d been hearing was coming from the very tip of his “around 80-feet high” tree in his backyard late Friday. Using a telescope and a phone camera, Rowsell was able to get a picture of Leo that was sent to Reuniting Owners with Animals Missing, which helped identify Taylor as the owner.

Leo’s escaped his home a couple of times, but Taylor always gets a phone call within a day or two to come pick him up, she said.

“Leo loves to be outside, and I want him to be an indoor cat, so he’s very sneaky,” Taylor said. She has good reason for it, this is the second time Leo’s been stuck in a tree. The other time Leo was stuck for two days just down the street. Leo has since been neutered, which helped tamp down his venturesome spirit, she added.

Taylor’s 20-year-old son Braydon offered to build a ‘catio’, an enclosure that allows Leo to bird watch while being walled off and covered to protect him from owls and eagles and the outside world. Taylor said she’s surprised an everyday story of a cat stuck on a tree would garner this much interestbut is grateful for the support.

“Thank you to everyone involved in helping us first locate Leo and then in helping getting him rescued and home safely,” she said.